Self Portrait of a Madman: Charles Manson

Charles Manson was born November 12, 1934 to an unmarried 16 year old alcoholic. He was known as "no name Maddox" for the first couple of weeks after his was born until he was named officially Charles Milles Maddox. After his mother married a laborer named William Manson, she gave her baby her husband's last name. After his mother and brother were sent to prison, Charles Manson was given to family members to raise. When they were released, Charles went back to a life of living out of motel rooms and off the streets with his mother. She rejected him completely trying to send him to a foster home before he was 12 years old. He spent the next two decades in and out of prisons and boys homes.

In 1967 he was released from prison again saying:"I can't handle the maniacs outside, let me back in". He asked that he not be released from jail believing his life was better behind bars. After spending more than half of his live institutionalized in boy's homes and correctional facilities, he traveled to San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district in the heyday of the free love hippie movement. He began to gain a following, preaching principles of scientology and brainwashing mixed with drugs and sex. The group moved out to the desert and gained more followers through Charlie's "charm" and dogma. His followers, "The Family", believed Manson to be God and did everything he said.

Charlie was a frustrated artist -- much like Adolf Hitler. He wanted to be a musician and wrote dozens of songs about his ideas and life. He preached love while espousing hate and death at the same time. A chance encounter with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys lead to Charlie getting some free recording time in studio although he never got signed with a label.

Manson and his followers grew in numbers as well as dedication to Charlie. The killings began with the family trying to start a race war to bring Charlie's ideals of "Helter Skelter" to reality. First came the murder of Gary Hinman. Next came the slayings of Sharon Tate, her unborn baby, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojciech Frykowski. Manson then ordered the killings of Rosemary and Leno Bianca the next night. Several of the family members, including Charles himself were convicted of the Tate and Labianca murders. Charles was sentenced to death (although this sentence was later revoked to life in prison) but this did not stop his popularity in pop culture.

His influence lives on in fashion, music, movies, documentaries, even a South Park episodel and an opera! The easiest recognizable image of Charles Manson is the cover of Life Magazine in 1969 which shows his crazy eyes. His self portrait is clearly an ode to that photo. He is clearly influential and clearly a madman whose name is instantly recognizable even though he is now 74 years old.

Many pieces of his prison art have been released since his incarceration. None show any real artistic ability. What this piece does show, however, is a very cluttered mind overtaken with colour and imagery including what appears to be snakes, sperm, eyes and swastikas. He was once quoted as saying: "You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy. "

Charles Manson lives on as the drama continues on -- there was digging for more bodies at the Spahn ranch as late as March of this year and in June Susan "Sadie" Atkins was denied compassionate parole leave. Of his publicity and notoriety, Manson has said: "There are days when I get caught up in being the most notorious convict of all time. In that frame of mind I get off on all the publicity, and I'm pleased when some fool writes and offers to 'off some pigs' for me. I've had girls come to visit me with their babies in their arms and say, 'Charlie, I'd do anything in the world for you. I'm raising my baby in your image.' Those letters and visits used to delight me, but that's just my individual sickness. What sickness is it that keeps sending me kids and followers? It's your world out there that does it. I don't solicit my mail or ask anyone to come and visit me. Yet the mail continues to arrive and your pretty little flowers of innocence keep showing up at the gate."

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